Lava cactus
The lava cactus is a species of cactus, Brachycereus nesioticus, the sole species of the genus Brachycereus. The plant is a colonizer of lava fields – hence its common name – where it forms spiny clumps up to 60 cm (24 in) tall. Its solitary white or yellowish white flowers open in the daytime. It is endemic to the Galápagos Islands.
Brachycereus nesioticus growing in Darwin Bay, near Prince Philip's Steps, Genovesa, Island, Ecuador
Brachycereus nesioticus in the Galpagos Islands.
Colonizing bare lava
The lava cactus is endemic to the Galápagos, where it is found on Fernandina, Genovesa, Isabela, Pinta, Santa Cruz, and Santiago,[12] as well as some smaller islands,[2] including Bartolomé.[1] It grows on barren lava flows, both pāhoehoe and ʻaʻā.[2] It is one of the first species to grow on new lava flows.[1]
Conservation[edit]
Brachycereus nesioticus was rated as "vulnerable" in the IUCN Red List of 2000, but this was downgraded to "least concern" in 2013. As with all plants and animals of the Galápagos, collecting or disturbing the lava cactus is strictly controlled by the Ecuadorian government; the complete range of the species lies within the Galápagos National Park and Natural World Heritage Site. Trade in the species is controlled under CITES Appendix II.[1]
